


Syrup

by Evelynn_Rose



Category: Mortal Kombat (Video Games)
Genre: Adult Content, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Complicated Relationships, Domestic Violence, F/M, Fantasy, Heartache, Hopeful Ending, Implied/Referenced Sexual Assault, LossOfSelf, Memory Loss, Multi, Past Abuse, Plans For The Future, Power Play, Psychological Trauma, Regression, Trauma, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-14
Updated: 2019-04-14
Packaged: 2020-01-13 04:11:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,108
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18461222
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Evelynn_Rose/pseuds/Evelynn_Rose
Summary: If she had to wade through syrup, sickly, tempting mess to find him? She'd be lying, denying herself, were she to say no...





	Syrup

**Author's Note:**

> Last one of these. Thank you for the support. I'd like to think over the six years I have been writing, I have improved somewhat. Mainly learned how to properly edit my work, haha. (Followup to Devour and Infrared.)

" _Don't_ ," Kara stood in Hanzo's way, blocking, obscuring view she knew he would  _baulk_  at, "please," she implored, " _trust me._ "

Moving Goddess  _blunt_ , leader stood down, height advantage prompting eyes to peek  _over_  shoulder.

" _Fine,_ " he sighed, "though, I would like you to explain sudden turn in  _mood_. What happened to  _cordial_ , small talk?"

"I thought you  _hated_  small talk..." woman teased, vanity enjoying she  _still_  knew him like back of her hand, despite three _years_  passing since they indulged in  _happiness_ , rather than _revulsion_ , condemnation of the  _self..._

* * *

"Its, fucked up. There's  _two_ , of me..."

" _Oh dear,_ " staunch persona dropping  _quickly_ , Kara made face, "however shall we  _cope?_ "

"How would  _you_  cope, you mean. You  _used_  to know..."

Going off specific, _erroneous_  tangent, Kara  _waffled_.

"We'll work  _something_  out. I mean, this ' _Kronika_ ' must _know_  what she is doing, considering she merged  _all_  timelines..."

"She,  _what?_ " Realisation  _pinged_ , brown eyes sparkling with _idea_. "Two of you would _imply_  two of all,  _including_  me."

Kara  _moved_ , sight  _dropping_  Hanzo's gut, _twinge_  indication he was about to  _puke_ , paling face furrowing Goddess' brow.

"This, _that_  is unholy, ungodly, completely  _wrong._ "

He pointed, staring at  _himself,_  wraith,  _spectre_ , bastard sorcerer  _Quan Chi's_  work.

* * *

 _Scorpion_  held ground, earth  _cracked_  around feet, lava plumes rising, heat coming off them _intense_. Hanzo  _swallowed_ , Adam's apple bobbing like buoy, lacking  _tether,_  floating carelessly on  _choppy_ seas.  _Goddess_  wanted nothing more than to whisk man away, knowing his  _strength_  would easily break free of her  _grasp_ , tug of  _war_  rope  _incinerated_  by pyromancer.

 _He_  was in no mood for joking at the _best_  of times. At the  _worst?_  Kara swore she could  _hear_  tick, tock,  _tick, tock..._

She'd panic and find  _wire cutters_ , were this  _real_. What stood  _before_  her wasn't, what was in her mind  _wasn't_.

It was utterly _bonkers_ , and woman was  _losing_  it...

* * *

" _Hey._ " Kara  _disrupted_  solemn solitude, trying to _regain_  ground, composure. "You  _reclaimed_  him, the  _name_. He is merely an _illusion_. He can't harm you, or _anyone._ "

"A _terrible_ , horror show  _spectre._ "

" _Face him_ , with all your might. He _will_  fade, I  _swear._ "

Hanzo rolled browns, sarcastic jaw movement pissing Kara off.

"Fuck. I am  _trying_ , alright? This is  _me_  we are talking about. You know _damn_  well I won't just stand here and let _you_  down. _I can't..._ "

Hanzo sighed, pinching bridge of nose.

"Understood. Kara, I... _I_  still feel rage shoot through veins when I  _think_  of my  _former_  self.  _Seeing_  him again brings it rushing to the fore, and I become  _twisted_ , hyper-focused on myself. Everything  _around_ me phases out. Sound? I require  _silence_. You  _haven't_  tarnished, I haven't gotten rid of your  _glow_ , your  _words_. I assure you that  _whatever_  I say right now is coming from a place of frantic  _worry_ , nothing _you_  have done, said."

"I'll take that as an _apology_. Its  _alright._ "

Woman pat man's shoulder, offering  _supportive_  smile. Deciding to speak with  _other_  Raiden,  _heartened_ , seeing him as he _used_  to be,  _pure_ , nastiness, evil intent hadn't yet  _tainted_  him, shook  _core_ values, dipped pristine cream robes in  _tar_ , horrid substance sticking  _fast._

She _left_  leader solemn. He required space solo,  _loneliness_  refusing to  _enter_  mind...

* * *

 _Everyone_  who allied themselves with the 'Good' side of the fight was  _majestic,_  they held hope, flame _bright_  in their heart,  _crackling_  in eyes, determination  _glittering,_  beams _radiant._

Everyone who allied themselves with the 'Good' or 'Neutral' side of the fight in  _Goddess_  realm had been  _contaminated_ , malevolence attempted to seep  _through_  pores, run through veins, poison any and _all_  it could, drag them to 'Evil,' side of the _coin_ , covered in _acid,_  skin  _failing_  to shield from damage...

Maliciousness permeated  _more_  than one cared to admit.

Even Earthrealm's  _guardian_  began slipping, Kara _heartbroken_ , God  _dear_  to her, dear to _her_  friends, her  _family._

* * *

Noting how _alone_  her alternate realm self was  _saddened_  Kara. Keeping to _rules_ , fraternisation highly  _frowned_  upon, it happened,  _regardless_. It  _couldn't_  be helped. Feelings sprung  _up_ , seeds, shoots,  _wishing_  to grow _buds_ , petals fragile beauty  _sought_  after.

All there were either _together_ , had someone they were  _interested_  in, or occasionally found themselves with other, _lonely_  souls, passion not really _there_ , but it wasn't  _expected_  to be found, scurrying off into  _shadows._

Whilst,  _Kara?_  Other Kara sat, on brick wall, looking at her feet, hands clasped at knee level, making herself as  _small_  as possible. If Goddess  _didn't_  know any better, she would say 'herself' was scared,  _traumatised_  by  _something._

Scared  _herself_ , Kara coughed,  _steadying_  herself, deciding on a  _whim_  to go  _over_  there, _talk_  to her...

Herself...

_What did I say about bonkers?_

* * *

That night found Kara in her Earthrealm home, picking up paper confetti from 'birthday party.' Whilst she  _loved_  her friends, she felt she getting on, too _old_  for 'frolicking,' though too  _young_  to be 'shutting up shop.' Still _competent_  woman, gaining wisdom with every  _passing_  year, Kara wanted to be _wanted_ , someone to wake up too, _casual_ , without  _needing_  vows, or  _declarations_  of love.

Someone she could have  _fantastic_ ,  _safe_ , whether  _angry_ , sweet, just  _right_ , quick, slow  _and_  sweet, someone to have sex with.

She _had_  that,  _years_  back, it was all of those and more.

Mainly,  _emotional_ , emotion struck her at that moment.

Her  _fling_ , flight of  _fancy_  was over, with the _illustrious_  leader of the Shirai Ryu. But, the months they  _had_  played over,  _replay_ , track  _stuck_ , song skipping _straight_  to chorus, and  _Gods,_  it was  _spectacular_ , body  _far_  from 'decrepit,' ' _past it._ '

* * *

She told  _Sub-Zero_  it was over, Hanzo _firmly_  agreeing.

She told  _Hanzo_  it was over, body  _firmly_  disagreeing.

When someone  _knew_  how to make her  _tick_ , she became capricious,  _craving_  feeling.

 _Rationale_  went for a  _stroll_ , whilst  _wicked_  hands made  _magic..._

* * *

Lying in bed, Kara felt somewhat  _guilty,_  conversation with other self  _debilitating_  her, for a time, revelations _spilling_  forth, tears falling like  _river..._

* * *

Smoke _beat_  her, to within an  _inch_  of her life, calling it 'relationship' when everyone _else_  saw it as travesty,  _tragedy_. He knocked out  _teeth_ , painted her  _purple_ , carmine spilled from gums, _nose_ , slashes bathed form with sickening, _iron_  scented glow,  _liquid_  slipping free covering bed,  _sheets_ , carpet, all of which were heavily  _stained_  from year of frenzied  _ardour,_  sweat  _glistening_ , times when they  _loved_ one another, holding on for  _dear_  life,  _promise_  of release _devastatingly_  bittersweet.

But, that _changed_  with flow of  _time._

His _ebbed..._

* * *

When he  _released_  her from grip, he  _dropped_  her body, as if lifeless _doll_ , flung to the floor, backhand  _sudden_ , young woman unable to get up  _without_  being hit, fist  _lightning_  quick.

 _This_  went on for  _two_  months, Raiden coming to her  _aid_ , having realised something was  _terribly_  wrong, people reporting they hadn't seen her  _or_  Smoke in a while.

 _They_  grew worried, as did her  _parents_. Kara  _was_  old enough to be _intimate_ , though not wise enough in  _politics_  of love, especially with one who struggled, _badly,_   _Enenra_  enveloping, devouring, from  _inside_  out.

It wasn't  _him_  acting, it was the soul thief  _inside_  him. Kara  _knew_ , finding it _unerring_ , though  _hard_  to believe, _truly_  believe.

Her counterpart was left holding herself, the fort,  _promising_  she would be  _okay_ , her  _past_  was just  _that._

If she wanted to  _scream_ , cry, blow  _fuse_ , Kara offered use of Divine Temple.

That was her  _safe_  space, other self agreeing, acquiescing  _quickly,_  much to Goddess'  _upset._

She was  _fragile_ , bone china  _fractured_ , trying to rebuild, clay not  _yet_  hardened.

Goddess  _vowed_  to help.

Not  _fix_ , just  _help._

Woman had to do  _that_  herself...

* * *

Keeping _up_  appearances was tough, when Kara's shadow _wasn't_  her own, lonely existence  _seeping_  into her, other realm self apologising  _profusely_  for causing trouble.

Goddess was sorrowful, wanting  _company_  of someone she could not have, was not  _allowed_  to enjoy.

Kara was sorrowful, wanting company of  _dead_  man,  _despite_  what he had done. She felt he was, would be _single_  man to give a  _damn_  about her.

Though, she mentioned  _Raiden_  a lot, her version,  _blushing_  when she did.

Goddess's head  _spun._

Her other self was courting  _Raiden?_  Humble, wondrous,  _fantastic_  man, also  _God?_

"Why  _couldn't_  we have picked mere men? _Nah,_ " Kara laughed, other smiling, " _too easy..._ "

* * *

_One week later_

"Forgive  _sudden_  visit," Kara bowed, Hanzo returning it, "other realm Raiden raised  _alarm_ , over _our_  version of him. As ours is _current_ , his own shift into  _pernicious_  behaviour is troubling. I  _also_  found out I am,  _apparently_  rather amorous with dear old  _thunderer._ "

"He is  _millennia_  old," Goddess informed him of _Kara's_  story, and this confirmed suspicion  _she_  was mere  _child_ , whilst Kara  _before_  him was  _woman_ , audacious _gleam_  in eyes..."Kara is incapable of _real_ intimacy, as what she was  _told_  it was is _untrue_."

" _Geez...,_ " Kara frowned, "bit  _harsh_. They are doing  _great_ , actually, not that many actually _know_. She can  _handle_  it, Raiden is _nurturing_ , he  _saved_  her life,  _saved_  her from  _herself_ , saved her from  _Shang_. Yeah, he kidnapped me in  _that_  realm too. I handled  _you_ , didn't I? Reckon  _God_  shouldn't be  _that_  much of a  _leap..."_

" _You_  handled me,  _she_  didn't..."

Sneaky eyebrow raise, Hanzo folded arms,  _triumphantly_ , posturing. Kara  _snorted._

" _Fair enough_. I handled you,  _yes_ , and, truth be  _told_ , I  _miss_  it."

Falling quiet, Kara left quickly, feet sprinting to portal.

"You _shouldn't._ "

Leader whispered, woman  _straining_  ear to listen.

 _"Use the gem."_   _Fire_  bloomed from her fists,  _telekinetic_  energy from his. "We're  _still_  tethered..."

* * *

Feeling gem vibrate, Hanzo took it out of robe, familiar  _pink_  puffs of smoke made chest tighten.

" _Why?_ "

" _Don't_ , please."

Woman waved him off, sweeping brunette behind ear. She was  _spun_ , hand on head pulled, pulled into man's shoulder, smacking _it_  with _nose_.

Hanzo palmed  _Amber,_  passing it to her, keeping hand linked with hers.

" _Body_  language. Speaking is your _third_  favourite thing. I  _remembered._ "

They chuckled.

"Are we growing  _soppy_  in our older years, your ' _twilight'_  years?'

"I  _seem_  to recall you being _soft_."

"I am,  _wax_  works  _wonders_. Little  _pleasant_ , I might add."

" _Could I redeem myself?_ "

Kara tilted head, Hanzo deadly serious.

"Why?  _What_  did you do? I don't recall  _anything._ "

"I gave you the  _worst_  of me, torrent of  _misery._ "

"You also gave me the  _best_  of you, torrent of  _stumbling_ , made me grin like a _madwoman_. Trust me," she tapped nose, "what I _saw_ , what I know is _meritable_. And..." she giggled, flushing, covering mouth, trembling taking otherwise lax limbs, "you are  _gorgeous_. Very flattered,  _hugely_  so. But,"

Reluctantly _leaving_  snug embrace, Goddess swept boot across cobbles.

"You'll _regret_  this. I will. No matter  _how_  my mind feels, I quiver in  _anticipation_  of warmth, crackling flames,  _hot_  fingers. I  _do_  react, but I  _shouldn't._  We have hands,  _other_  things.  _I'll_  use those."

She _sighed_ , cowardice making  _feet_  walk faster. Kara backed off, opening door _too_  much, merely pressing heels, hands  _against_  it, pretending to locate  _handle._

"Gods...Its like wading through  _syrup_  with you..."

"Sounds  _unpleasant..._ "

"If it  _was_ , I would have said _cement_. What am I  _doing?_ "

Palming face, Kara sighed, _several_  head shakes, running hand through it,  _frustrated_  when hitting _tats._

" _Kara._  Character defining _trait_  I appreciate? Your earnest _honesty_. I would be fooling _myself_  were I to  _deny_  truth that, I _too_  find thoughts travelling  _back_  to you, the times we had  _together_. I recall cooling  _waves_ , telekinesis raising hairs, backs  _arching_ , muscles  _tensing_ , jaws working to _deny_  ourselves becoming  _gaudy_."

"If you  _swore?_  Gods  _help_  me..." Kara bit lip, turning around _impossible_ , feet  _rooted_  to spot, brain repeating ' _don't you dare_.'

 _If_  she dared, she'd  _devour_  him,  _free_  him, herself of rank,  _stuffy_  robes, unbearable  _afternoon_  heat given cool _night_  breeze...

* * *

"If we break silence,  _fast_ , no one can _know._ "

"Fast?  _Odd_  phrasing. I haven't  _hungered_  in years. Seeing _pitiful_  other self was, _let_  herself be, wallowing,  _excluding_  herself, avoiding _human_  interaction, that  _stung_. I reeled. Heart in throat, I wanted to be  _held_ , hold someone I  _trusted_ , with  _all_  of me."

Hanzo gained that  _faraway_  look in his eyes, little to look at on floor except occasional  _dust_  particles, flying up, whizzing around.

"I'll  _go_. We need  _time,_  we must think _straight_ ," head lowering,  _south_  on her own form, Kara held _little_  back, "think with  _brains_. See you?"

She left  _that_  question open,  _lacking_  intonation, giving him space to  _formulate_  answer, heading to portal chamber, all while fighting want to turn on heel, let him _know_  what he  _needed_  too, what she  _assumed_  he _ought_  to...

* * *

Goddess made _assumptions._

Hanzo  _hated_  assumptions.

He didn't, however hate  _her._

* * *

If she had to wade through  _syrup_ , sickly, tempting mess to  _find_  him? She'd be lying,  _denying_  herself, were she to say  _no..._


End file.
